1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to toilet training equipment but more particularly to toilet training for pets.
2. Background of the Invention
To eliminate inconveniences related to pets relieving themselves outdoors, on lawns, and sidewalks, pets, more particularly cats, are often provided with indoor facilities such as a cat litter box but this solution is also unsatisfactory in some respects such as expense, odor and the required frequent clean up. Over the years, a tendency has developped toward the training of cats to use a standard toilet bowl. One of the co-inventor in this application is no stranger to that tendency, having himself received U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,578 for a device of that type. The device described in that patent had a main section fitted over the rim of a toilet bowl, a releasable section and a platform on which a pet sits. The whole installation proved to be quite cumbersome and was a hindrance to normal use of the toilet by humans. Over time, as the animal became used to the environment, components were gradually removed to leave only the platform. Which made the rest of the parts no longer useful but a substantial amount had already been spent for something having a very limited use.
Clearly, a more economical and practical way to toilet train a pet had to be found.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known devices now present in the prior art, the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide objects and advantages which are:
To provide a training technique and an associated training structure for training a household pet to use a conventional toilet bowl.
To provide a training device in accordance with the previous objects which would conform to conventional forms of manufacturing, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a training device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
To attain these ends, the present invention generally comprises a platform attached to the rim of a toilet bowl and further provided with a holding means used for holding either a tray containing a substance that attracts and creates a habit for the pet to come to that location. Instead of a tray containing a substance, a specially designed self contained substance not requiring a tray can be used. Teh substance can be derived from cat litter as well as water soluble binding agents. Over time, the holding means can be removed as the pet no longer needs to be <<baited>> to the location. In this manner, only the holding means and tray (if applicable) become useless, a far lesser investment wasted.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.